The Institute of European Studies of the University Saint-Louis - Brussels, invites you to participate in its 13th "Neighbourhoods" Annual Conference, which will be held online on Tuesday, the 2nd of February from 9:15 am to 1 pm. It will focus on the following issue: What about the post-Covid 19 relationship between the EU and its neighbourhoods: renewed companionship or distant proximity in the face of common challenges ? 

The pandemic and the serious economic and social crisis that resulted from it have hit the European Union and its Member States as much as neighbouring countries. The main question addressed during the conference will be the following: is the pandemic an opportunity for "renewed companionship" or greater "distancing" from other international or regional geopolitical actors?

Among the partners of the event, the IEE will notably be able to count on the support of the Royal Institute for International Relations (EGMONT), the Beyond the Horizon think tank (behorizon), the European Centre for Electoral Support (ECES), EU Logos Athena A.S.B.L (EU-Logos), and the strategic consultancy agency La Vigie (La Vigie).

 

Programme of the "Neighbourhoods" Conference :

09:15 am Welcome of participants and welcoming speech by Denis DUEZ, Professor and President of the Institute for European Studies (IEE) 

  • Presentation of the Saint-Louis - Brussels University
  • Presentation of the Institute for European Studies: its students, the research 
  • Introduction to the day's work by René LERAY, Associate Researcher at the IEE
  • Objectives of the conference

09h30 - 10h30 - First session: Conflict resolution as a common challenge? 

  • Chair person: Petr BLIZKOVSKY, Secretary General of the Committee of the Regions, EU 
  • Speakers : Jean DUFOURCQ, French Admiral; Editor-in-Chief of La Vigie; Laetitia SPETSCHINSKY, Lecturer Baillet Latour Chair; Ioannis VRAILAS, Greek Ambassador to the EU; Erman ATAK, Senior Research Fellow at Beyond the Horizon ISSG, Research Fellow at Maastricht University 

10:30 - 11:30 - Second session: Climate change and energy transition: a shared challenge? 

  • Chair person: Hugues MINGARELLI, EU Ambassador in Kiev (2016-2019) 
  • Speakers : Massimo LOMBARDINI, European Official at DG Energy (2010-2020); Marc VANHEUKELEN, Ambassador at large EU for Climate Change; Sherif DAWOUD, Member of the Egyptian Ministry of Foreign Affairs - Department of Environment and Sustainable Development; Robert CUTLER, Senior Research Fellow at Beyond the Horizon ISSG, Director of Energy Security Program at NATO Association of Canada. 

11:30 - 12:30 - Third Session: Digitisation and Economic Modernisation, What Shared Approach? 

  • Chair person: Joëlle MILQUET, President of the Strategic and Advisory Committee of ECES 
  • Speakers : Tanja MISCEVIC, Professor Sciences Po in Belgrade; Gianni ROBERT, Researcher at the University of Maastricht; Tarak CHERIF, President of CONECT Tunis. 

12h30 - 13h00 - Conclusions 

  • Pierre VIMONT, Associate Researcher Carnegie Europe; Member of the NGO Leader; SG of the EEAS 2010-2015 (European External Action Service), Ambassador of France in Washington, D.C. 


More information and conference registration here (FR).